Griffin, Dixon out, Mitchell returns to practice

The Bulls received some bad news regarding injuries Tuesday, when tests confirmed that redshirt sophomore wide receiver Sterling Griffin will miss six to eight weeks after suffering a fracture to his right ankle during Saturday's game against Cincinnati.

Griffin injured his ankle in the end zone while attempting to catch a pass from junior quarterback B.J. Daniels in the third quarter. This is the same ankle he injured last year, causing him to miss the entire 2010 season.

Griffin is the team's top receiver with 40 receptions for 493 yards, as well as two touchdowns.

"I just hate it for him … he's such a great young man," USF coach Skip Holtz said. "He's worked so hard to come back from the ankle a year ago. Thankfully, it's a non-surgical break, you know, not where he was a year ago, and he will be immobilized for probably six to eight weeks and then should be able to be at full strength because the bone should recover to 100 percent."

The loss of Griffin means the Bulls will rely on a corps of young receivers that includes redshirt freshman Deonte Welch and true freshmen Andre Davis and Ruben Gonzalez.

It was also confirmed Tuesday that backup cornerback Ricardo Dixon tore his ACL during Saturday's loss. The redshirt sophomore will miss the rest of the 2011 season.

Some good news for the Bulls was that sophomore wide receiver Terrence Mitchell, who has been sidelined with a concussion since Sept. 24, was back in practice Tuesday in full pads and catching some passes from offensive coordinator Todd Fitch.